NAKULA 1)
Birth. The fourth of the Pāṇḍavas. Mādrī, the second of the two wives of Pāṇḍu meditated on the twin gods Aśvinīdevas, and recited one of the Mantras given to Kuntī by the hermit Durvāsas and the two sons Nakula and Sahadeva were born to her from those gods. It is mentioned in
[Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 67, Stanza 111] that Nakula and Sahadeva were immensely handsome.
2)
Story of Nakula till the Bhārata battle. Naming and such other rituals after birth were performed for Nakula also as in the case of the other Pāṇḍava children, by the hermits who lived in Śataśṛṅga. The ceremony of investiture with the Brahmā string was conducted by Kaśyapa the priest of Vasudeva. The royal hermit Śuka taught Nakula archery and swordsplay, in his boyhood. When Pāṇḍu died, Mādrī jumped into the funeral pyre and died leaving her two sons with Kuntī. After this the hermits of Śataśṛṅga took Kuntī and her five sons to Bhīṣma at Hastināpura. At Hastināpura, Nakula learned archery under the great teacher Droṇa. According to the instruction of the teacher, Arjuna had to fight with him (teacher) on the completion of the teaching and during that fight Nakula and Sahadeva were the guards of Arjuna's chariotwheels. As Nakula was such an expert in wielding the weapons, he got the name ‘Atirathi’.
[M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 138, Stanza 30] . When the lac-palace was completed at Vāraṇāvata, the Pāṇḍavas shifted to that mansion by the instruction of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. When the lac-palace was set fire to, the Pāṇḍavas escaped by way of an underground passage and reached the banks of the Gaṅgā. There Nakula and Sahadeva fell down weary and exhausted. Bhīma carried them on his shoulders. After Baka had been killed, they proceeded to Pāñcālapura, where at the Svayaṁvara (marriage) Pāñcālī became the wife of the Pāṇḍavas. They returned to Hastināpura. A son named Śatānīka was born to Nakula by Pāñcālī.
[M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 95, Stanza 75] . After that Nakula married Kareṇumatī, the daughter of the King of Cedi. A son named Niramitra was born to the couple.
[M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 95, Stanza 70] . Nakula was then sent to the kingdoms of the west for regional conquest, by Dharmaputra. The wealth of the kingdoms he had conquered, was carried on ten thousand camels to the capital Hastināpura.
[M.B. Sabhā Parva, Chapter 32] . After the Rājasūya (imperial consecration) of Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula went to Gāndhāra to escort Subala and his sons. After the defeat of Yudhiṣṭhira in the game of dice, the Pāṇḍavas went to live in the forest. At that time Nakula put soil all over his body and sat on the ground because of his profound grief. In the forest, once Jaṭāsura carried away Nakula. (See under Jaṭāsura). Nakula killed Kṣemaṅkara, Mahāmaha and Suratha in the forest At Dvaitavana (a forest) Nakula went to a lake to fetch water and was killed by Dharmadeva who appeared in the form of a crane. At the request of Dharmaputra, who came afterwards, all the Pāṇḍavas including Nakula were brought to life again, by Dharma. During the pseudonymity of the Pāṇḍavas at the city of Virāṭa, Nakula assumed the name Granthika. When the period of pseudonymity expired, Nakula fought with the Trigartas on behalf of the King Virāṭa. On the return of the Pāṇḍavas after the expiry of their forest-life and pseudonymity, when Duryodhana announced that he would give not even a single dot of land to them, Nakula was very eager to decide the matter by a battle. He proposed that the King Drupada should be made the chief captain of the army.
3)
Nakula in the Bhārata-battle. The following is the part played by Nakula in the battle of Kurukṣetra.
(i) There was a combat between Nakula and Duśśāsana on the first day of the battle.
[M.B. Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 45, Stanza 23] .
(ii) Nakula fought with Śalya and was wounded.
[M.B. Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 83] .
(iii) He fought with Śakuni.
[M.B. Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 105, Stanza 11] .
(iv) He engaged Vikarṇa in a combat.
[M.B. Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 110, Stanza 11] .
(v) Nakula defeated Vikarṇa.
[M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 106, Stanza 12] .
(vi) Nakula defeated Śakuni.
[M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 169, Stanza 16] .
(vii) He defeated Duryodhana in a fight.
[M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 187, Stanza 50] .
(viii) Nakula killed the King of Aṅga.
[M.B. Karṇa Parva, Chapter 22, Stanza 13] .
(ix) He retreated on being defeated by Karṇa.
[M.B. Karṇa Parva, Chapter 24, Stanza 45] .
(x) He fought with Droṇa.
[M.B. Karṇa Parva, Chapter 48, Stanza 34] .
(xi) Nakula fought with Duryodhana again and was wounded.
[M.B. Karṇa Parva, Chapter 56, Stanza 7] .
(xii) He fought with Vṛṣasena.
[M.B. Karṇa Parva, Chapter 61, Stanza 36] .
(xiii) Nakula killed Citrasena, Satyasena and Suṣeṇa the sons of Karṇa.
[M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 10] .
4)
After the Bhārata-battle.(i) After the battle, Nakula explained to Yudhiṣṭhira, the duties of a house holder.
[M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 12] .
(ii) On the instruction of Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula became the chief captain of the army.
[M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 41, Stanza 12] .
(iii) After the battle, the palace of Durmarṣaṇa the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra was given to Nakula by Dharmaputra.
[M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 44, Stanza 10] .
(iv) After the battle when Yudhiṣṭhira performed the horse sacrifice, Nakula and Bhīmasena stood as protectors of the city.
[M.B. Aśvamedha Parva, Chapter 72, Stanza 19] .
(v) Nakula went to the forest to see Kuntī, who was engaged in penance during her latter days. (M.B. Āśramavāsi a Parva, Chapter 25, Stanza 8).
5)
The end. At the ‘great departure’ (Mahāprasthāna) of the Pāṇḍavas, Nakula died in the forest. It is mentioned in
[Mahābhārata, Svargārohaṇa Parva, Chapter 4, Stanza 9] , that after death Nakula and Sahadeva attained the position of the Aśvinīdevas.
6)
The name Nakula. It is stated in
[Mahābhārata, Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 5, Stanza 25] that the name ‘Nakula’ was given to him because there were none more handsome than he in the family (Kula) of the Pāṇḍavas.